Big Spider

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
This fairly large spider is in the front upstairs room on a window shade. Probably got carried in on a houseplant I brought inside for the winter. Of course the legs make it look even larger. I looked it up and it's a garden cross spider (Araneus diadematus). I feel sorry for it - if I put it outside, it will freeze in this cold snap. If I leave it inside, it will starve. Well, shades of "Charlotte's Web", it's going to die in about a month anyway, no matter what. What I noticed was the cross on its back that made it easy to research.

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Me neither, I couldn’t sleep for fear he’d be crawling over my face !
 

AprilSun said:
You're better than I would be. There's not way I would let him stay in my house with me.
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It's in a room I don't go in very much. I think the problems start when you try to disturb things.

I have to laugh when I see "fake" spiders and webs people get for Halloween and put them on their porches and shrubs. They can come to my porch and get all the real spiders and webs they want for free! LOL
 
Had more spiders than usual this year which happens every few years. What I do is try to keep on top of knocking down, clearing/cleaning the webs so they go somewhere else. I had to knock down a spider man sized web about 5 ft tall and wide 3 times in one week. Hasn't returned to that spot since. Just try to wear them down if that's possible. Spinning the web takes a lot out of them(literally) as does the lack of food/prey from no web.
 
That spider looks a bit like an Australian variety we know as the St Andrews Cross Spider. These are outdoor spiders that spin a large web with a prominent X shaped cross at the centre. The spider sits at the centre and waits for insects to become trapped. They are harmless and non aggressive and disappear during the Winter. I presume that is the end of their life cycle. I doubt that they hibernate.

If your spider is a female she may lay eggs. If you see an egg sac you might like to place them in a glass jar where you can watch them hatch in the Spring. Then take the jar outside and let Charlotte's babies go free.
 
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I looked in that room today and didn't see it. It could still be there and just hiding, or it abandoned ship looking for better lodgings.

BTW - I finally got around to mowing the lawn before it starts raining again. I startled a bunny hiding the the ground cover near the house foundation.
 
I don't do anything with spiders. They eat insects in my house. They don't bother me so I don't bother them.

I'll brush away a web if it's in the wrong place though.
 
terry123 said:
I don't want them in my house so I swat them and in the trash they go. No bugs allowed especially spiders that may bite.
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Same here.

I know two people that were bitten by brown recluse (fiddleback) spiders, both feel it happened while they slept and both had tissue loss and scarring.

I've been known to catch a cricket, moth or grasshopper and toss it into a big spider web outside and stand there and watch them scurry over and wrap it up for a later meal.....the key word here being outside.

If in my home I'm not going to take the time to try and identify the spider, if I see a spider of any kind inside the house it's......SPLAT CITY !

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I always let spiders live, however once you do a google search for "spider bite," it can definitely change your mind. Pretty scary stuff.
 

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